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EV Chargers At U.S. Hyundai Dealerships Provided By AeroVironment

Hyundai has announced a partnership with AeroVironment to supply electric vehicle charging stations for select dealership stores that will be carrying the new Sonata plug-in hybrid.

The company will also make home chargers, which Hyundai customers can order by visiting the dealerships.

The 2016 Hyundai Sonata plug-in hybrid is currently available in 10 U.S. states, and comes with a starting price of $35,435 after $835 destination fee, but before tax incentives.

Under the hood, the vehicle offers a 2.0L 4-cylinder gasoline engine and electric motor with combined output of 202 horsepower. A 27-mile range is achieved via the 9.8-kWh lithium-polymer battery, which translates to an EPA-estimated 99 mpg.

Hyundai dealer charging stations

This is not the first time that AeroVironment has teamed up with automakers to deliver charging solutions, as they have also worked with Ford, Nissan, Fiat, and BMW.

The same company was also responsible for installing a network of charging stations in Oregon along the I-5 corridor.

Hyundai issued an official press release that went into a little more detail about the partnership, which represents the 7th time that AeroVironment has partnered up with a major automaker interested in developing dealer charging stations.

Besides the ability to charge their Sonata PHEV at the available dealerships, driver’s will also have the option to choose between the TurboCord charging system and the EVSE-RS wall-mounted charging station for home use.

This announcement is a huge step forward for Hyundai, as it will help them now sell the Sonata PHEV to potential owners who may have been on the fence about adopting the new technology because of a perceived lack of infrastructure in the 10 states where the vehicle is currently available.

AeroVironment are a proven provider of charging stations, and are essentially the first name in that technology here in the United States.

The aforementioned lithium-polymer battery that comes with the Sonata PHEV will deliver a range of 27 miles before switching over to hybrid mode. It’s a powerful battery built to last, but Hyundai have sweetened the pot by also delivering a lifetime hybrid battery warranty.

As far as charging times for the battery go, both the TurboCord and EVSE-RS charging stations, which are 240-volt units, can fully charge a depleted battery in under 3 hours. That is a good deal less than the 9 hours that it would take to do the same job on a standard 120-volt outlet. The products are also available for use in the home, and can be easily installed indoors and out, which makes them very convenient for PHEV owners.

Ken Karklin, senior vice president and general manager of AeroEnvironment, spoke about the practicality of having a charging station in the home.

It’s not all just about time when it comes to charging, as owners of plug-in models now expect a higher level of charging station availability.

That is exactly what they get with a home charging station. Karklin compared it to a cell phone charger, which is now something that is standard in every home, and viewed as an essential piece of equipment.

Hyundai and AeroVironment are making it easy for new Sonata PHEV drivers to get their hands on a charging station, as they can now be purchased at the dealerships that sell the vehicles.

The cost of the purchase also includes installation of the unit by an AeroVironment-certified, licensed electrician.

The demand for green cars is growing, and Hyundai have shown their commitment to the segment by partnering with AeroVironment, a true giant in the industry.

This is just the start of Hyundai’s need for chargers and charging stations, as they are expected to fully embrace the green car movement in the coming years, with more hybrid, PHEV, and EV models being developed under the AE codename.